Robbie Hummel's trip to California in May was intended to be a vacation. The 6-8 swingman from Purdue had looked forward to a break after a surprising basketball season in which he was named first-team all-Big Ten as a freshman and helped lead Purdue to the second round of the NCAA tournament. It was also a reward for a stellar academic year in which he got nearly straight A's.

The ghost of Katrina hovered over the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival as rain, mud and enormous puddles presented hurdles for thousands of fans in search of a good time. That specter evaporated against the life force of the city's musical riches and the festival's feisty spirit.